Mail

Year-End Issue
Who says inflation has taken over the country? With your sensational special double issue (PEOPLE, Dec. 25-Jan. 1), you have undeniably proved that we can still receive twice the quantity and value without getting stuck with twice the price.
Diane Swanson
Arlington, Mass.

Pope John Paul II
To a Catholic accustomed to less-than-sensitive critiques of churchmen in the past, your appraisal of the life-style and aspirations of our new Pontiff was both refreshing and encouraging.
Jack DeBias
San Francisco

Burt Reynolds
Burt Reynolds making his image more "sensitive"? Don't make me laugh. That's like training a bull to be careful in a china shop.
Lisa Wexler
Cambridge, Mass.

It says something less than complimentary about the American public if Burt Reynolds has to "package" his sensitivity to sell it. His easy, tongue-in-cheek, twinkle-in-the-eye manner has expounded it for years.
Rowena Hammond
Summit, Utah

Cheryl Tiegs
From an artist's point of view, Cheryl Tiegs' face is too short and too wide for perfection. And, sad but true, the poor lady is built like a man. So let's hope 1979 will give us a more beautiful and more feminine model of the year.
Frank Shields
St. Louis

Rev. Jim Jones
You were stooping unusually low by including the Rev. Jim Jones among your most intriguing. If the list were the most disgusting and inhumane, I could understand.
Heather Noyes
Clinton, N.Y.

Meat Loaf
I'm surprised you didn't mention Meat Loaf's part in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It is currently the cult film here. People line up in all weather for the weekend midnight screenings.
Lynne Chellingworth
Ottawa

John Belushi
Since when have slobs become "intriguing"? Last year it was Billy Carter, this year it's John Belushi for his loathsome role in Animal House. Ugh!
Marlene Conzemius
Edina, Minn.

John Travolta
Please! Travolta's Fever character has not "become a role model for a generation." He played a dumb, sexist, conceited Brooklynite whose dancing was flashy and phony. And that polyester white suit—so queer and tired. After that stupid movie, the only people who got into disco were the McDonald's/K mart crowd, those dear folks who are always years behind the latest fad.
Jefre Harde
Huntington Woods, Mich.

Brooke ShieldsAs the father of a pretty 12-year-old, I find it difficult to comprehend the parents of a child who could condone "cheesecake" such as your picture, to say nothing of the role Brooke Shields played in Pretty Baby. I think the price on that 16-room, $460,000 home is too high.
S. D. Carter, D.D.S.
Stone Mountain, Ga.

Arlene Blum
Arlene Blum says in reference to the deaths of two fellow Annapurna climbers, "We are very saddened, but you must remember the important thing. We climbed a mountain. And we're delighted." That's one of the most disgusting things I've ever heard.
Carrie Hauenstein
St. Louis

John Irving
Last August at the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference in Vermont, I was introduced to John Irving and his work. As a poet, I attended the fiction workshops out of curiosity and found him humorous, captivating and highly popular. Mr. Irving also proved to be a regular guy. One evening at dinner, the writers attempted a bit of silliness to alleviate the "intellectual fervor." Everyone was to balance teaspoons on the tips of their noses. There was much laughter from some and outright scorn from others. I was amused to see that only one of the famous writers had chanced the crazy stunt—John Irving—and successfully yet!
Terry A. Lee
Lincoln Park, Mich.

How could you?
Are you guys wild and crazy, or just ignorant? Ol' Steve Martin seems more intriguing than several folks who made your list. Just tell me this, when was the last time Miss Piggy filled a 12,000-seat arena with loyal, screaming fans?
Michael Smith
Raleigh

Picks & Pans
I see your critic decided that Cheryl Ladd delivered one of the best albums of the year while Joni Mitchell's was one of the worst. No wonder you don't print the name of the person responsible for this tripe!
Cal Ball
San Francisco

The Grease soundtrack LP in the Worst section and "a turkey"! Sesame Street Fever Best and "a disco primer"! Double Vision—Worst. Have you no shame? Then you have the gall to put Bob Dylan and the Kendalls in the Best! Come on, get your radios repaired.
Mike Cudmore
Riverdale, Ga.

High School Celebs
My husband has been an admirer of "lovely Linda" Ronstadt for years. After seeing her high school picture he hasn't been the same. He walks around in a daze screaming, "Lies, lies." The truth hurts, but he must face facts. Please, for the sake of my husband's sanity, confirm that this person really is his Linda.
Sheila Degenfelder
Sacramento

Linda before and after.—ED.

Anyone who laughed should look over their own high school photos. I did (class of '68) and stopped laughing. Quickly!
Chris McNichol
Côte St. Luc, Quebec

Although I was glad to see that Miss Piggy made the 25 Most Intriguing, it is unfortunate you were unable to obtain a high school photo of her. That is one picture I'm sure every red-blooded man would like to have seen.
Lee Burgess
Montreal

Puzzle
Thanks to Gerard Mosler for his "searching" PEOPLE Puzzles, especially his double year-ender. Question: If a supersleuth can identify at least 30 names and I got 40, what does that make me?
Phyllis Gregor
Pittsburgh

Someone with a good memory and a lot of time. Congratulations.—ED.

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